The Politicization Of The US Patent System 25/08/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Washington Post story, How patent reform’s fraught politics have left USPTO still without a boss (July 30), is a vivid account of how patent reform has divided the US economy, preempting a possible replacement for David Kappos who stepped down 18 months ago. The division is even bigger than portrayed. Universities have lined up en masse to oppose reform, while main street businesses that merely use technology argue for reform. Reminiscent of the partisan divide that has paralyzed US politics, this struggle crosses party lines and extends well beyond the usual inter-industry debates. Framed in terms of combating patent trolls through technical legal fixes, there lurks a broader economic concern – to what extent ordinary retailers, bank, restaurants, local banks, motels, realtors, and travel agents should bear the burden of defending against patents as a cost of doing business, writes Brian Kahin.
Global Medical Students Call For Shift To Health Over Trade, R&D 08/08/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Universities Allied for Essential Medicines is calling for new incentive models for research and development so that new treatments can be found for neglected tropical diseases to fight antibiotic resistance, and is asking that health issues supersede trade interests.
Trade, Innovation, Competition, IP In Two New Discussion Papers 24/07/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development recently issued papers on competition analyses of licensing agreements and on the measurement of trade and innovation.
At WTO, Nations Blast US For Continued Failure To Fix Havana Club Dispute 22/07/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Since that fateful night in 1998 when former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms slipped a provision on behalf of US rum-maker Bacardi into an appropriations bill blocking a Cuban-French company from using the Havana Club trademark in the US, it was expected the provision would eventually be overturned.
India IP Policy Misrepresented By US Trade Representative, Indian Pharma Says 22/07/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An Indian pharmaceutical industry group has challenged the United States Trade Representative’s assessment of India’s intellectual property protection regime and suggested that India received more severe treatment than other countries solely on the basis of treatment of patented pharmaceuticals that it says is allowed under international rules.
WTO Members Open Negotiations On Green Goods Trade Agreement 08/07/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Members of the World Trade Organization today opened negotiations on the liberalisation of environmental technologies or “green goods.”
Bark But No Bite? Antigua Talks Tough On WTO Gambling Case, But No TRIPS Remedy 18/06/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda again had strong words today for the United States’ seeming incalcitrant refusal to change its law or pay up in a World Trade Organization case it lost for blocking the island’s online gambling business. But Antigua stopped short of any direct threat to use the weapon it was given by the WTO dispute settlement panel: to stop protecting US intellectual property rights in the amount of the damages.
TRIPS Council Debates Non-Violations, Innovation, Green Tech Transfer 12/06/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Whether countries can bring intellectual property complaints against each other under the World Trade Organization even if they don’t violate WTO rules was a topic of debate this week, but could not be resolved.
US Proposal Seeks To Allow Non-Violation Cases Under TRIPS Agreement 11/06/2014 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States confirmed its opposition to an indefinite extension of a moratorium shielding the World Trade Organization agreement on intellectual property from non-violation complaints through a paper presented to WTO members meeting today.
Fight The Fakes Campaign Grows, Now Includes Generics Companies 06/06/2014 by Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Fight the Fakes campaign announced today the support of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association and 10 other new partners for its campaign to raise awareness worldwide about the dangers of fake medicines.